My name is Madeleine (Maddy) Roberts, I’m a fourth year university student at Wellesley College, located in Boston, Massachusetts, the United States. I’m double majoring in Anthropology and Spanish, with a concentration in sociocultural Anthropology. Last January I had the honour of being awarded the Albright fellowship from Wellesley’s Albright Institute for Global Affairs. Through this fellowship I was required to seek a summer research or internship position outside of the country, focused on global issues. While looking for charities in the UK in the field of migration, I discovered Counterpoints Arts and they welcomed me into their office with open hearts.
June
I arrived in London on June 2nd after a nine hour flight from Seattle, Washington State, feeling anxious about the summer ahead. I was worried about my ability to live by myself in a foreign country, and about the internship. I questioned whether I would be able to perform to a high standard, and whether I would fit in in the office.
However, from the moment I stepped into the building I felt right at home. And from my first day I dove straight into Refugee Week preparations, helping my supervisor Lara with the website through approving events and uploading blog posts.
I can’t lie- it was exhausting at times. Almost every day seemed to include multiple events, from film screenings, to workshops, to concerts, to art exhibitions, and more. Most days I went home with my social battery drained and my head stuffed with new information, names and sights.
It was an emotional rollercoaster. During one of my first days in the office I attended a film screening and comedy show by the Palestine Comedy Club and laughed so hard my jaw hurt. Just a week later I went to see a screening of Quo Vadis, Aida?, a film about the Bosnian genocide, at Rich Mix cinema and sobbed alongside the rest of the audience. I realized how impactful art can be. More than reading news articles or listening to talks, mediums like films, and comedy shows can be incredibly effective at creating awareness and building empathy.
June at Counterpoints is a chapter of my life that I will always remember. I met so many incredible people and learned about how vast and strong their network is. I felt comforted that there are so many creative and passionate individuals working to make the world a better place for all of us.
July
After the whirlwind of events in June, July seemed to move in slow motion. The office became quieter as my colleagues went off on holiday one by one, taking well-deserved breaks after a hectic month. During this time I began to dig deeper into some long term projects. I researched local authority participation in Refugee Week and grant schemes taking place across the UK. I published a number of posts and reels on the Refugee Week Instagram account highlighting the breadth of events that took place, and also announced the dates for next year. I compiled feedback and data from the free film programme, and created resource packs for galleries and museums wanting to take part in Refugee Week.
At the same time I still attended events. I went to a Refugee Week celebration event by the Citizens of the World Choir: “Voices of Hope and Welcome,” in the House of Parliament, where songs of love and joy were sung in a multitude of languages. No translation was needed to understand the emotions being conveyed.
A couple weeks later I went to the Ben and Jerry’s Refugee Festival in Chiswick. I brought two of my dear UK friends with me and we had an amazing time enjoying free ice cream and the cloudy English summer weather. At the festival they had set up a social mission tent with booths for various charities, alongside games and art workshops. One station encouraged participants to write notes to recently arrived people in the UK.
“Don’t let anybody tell you that you’re not welcome here. We are so lucky to have you here <3”
“Welcome <3 Eat toast with beans it is quite yummy! Hope you enjoy!”
I can personally confirm that toast with beans is great.
However July wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows; throughout this time I struggled with being away from home. Cities across the United States were raging with protests as the Trump administration brutally cracked down on immigration. I felt helpless watching demonstrators in my city get tear gassed and shot with rubber bullets while I sat thousands of miles away. During this time it helped to dive even deeper to the cause of Refugee Week and Counterpoints: making it my personal mission to learn more about refugees and people seeking asylum. I learned that the fight against injustice is international, and that solidarity across different countries and groups of people is crucial to creating change.
August
The last week of my placement has been spent in reflection. I’ve realized that it’s the little things about working in Counterpoints that made my time so special. The daily walks to get lunch or coffee in the lovely Hoxton neighbourhood. Mid-afternoon trips to the local charity shop and light-hearted conversations with colleagues over endless cups of tea. The main table, always covered in snacks and treats from people’s adventures and homes.
I’ve walked away from this experience as a more developed professional, but most importantly, a better human. I’ve become more confident in myself and my abilities, and more compassionate towards the people around me. I’ve learned how joy, artwork, and creativity can be some of the biggest and most powerful expressions of resistance. When the biggest tool the opposition has is to create hate and fear, and spin untrue narratives to create divide, we must work diligently to prove them wrong. Migration drives our world. Refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers form an invaluable part of our community, and we should welcome them with open arms.
Time goes fast- it seems just yesterday that I arrived at the Counterpoints office and here I am saying goodbye. I hope to return someday to help in some capacity, maybe through helping with Refugee Week USA, or through simply keeping in touch and keeping their mission always in my heart.
Thank you Counterpoints, and thank you London for having me.
